New Deal-Era Wilbur J. Cohen Federal Building Faces Potential Sale and Demolition

The Wilbur J. Cohen Federal Building, originally constructed as the Social Security Board Building, stands as a prominent example of New Deal-era public architecture. C. It was designed by architect Charles Z.

Klauder with modernized classical lines, Egyptian Revival elements, and Art Deco flourishes. U.S. Treasury's Section of Fine Arts. Artists Ben Shahn and Philip Guston created murals on the ground floor, while Seymour Fogel and the Magafan sisters contributed additional pieces.

Shahn's two murals, each approximately 70 feet long and 24 feet high, depict the impacts of economic hardship and the benefits of Social Security.

the New Deal Commissions The Social Security Act, signed by President Franklin D.

Roosevelt on August 14, 1935, established protections against poverty, old age, unemployment, and child labor. The Treasury's Section of Fine Arts organized competitions for artists to decorate federal buildings, including an essay titled "The Meaning of Social Security" that guided the themes.

These efforts employed up to 10,000 artists across thousands of public facilities during the Great Depression.

Shahn's murals portray scenes of suffering from child poverty, old age, and unemployment on one side of a central corridor. The opposite wall shows post-Social Security life, including basketball games, public works projects, and agricultural abundance. Shahn titled the works "The Meaning of Social Security" and regarded them as his finest achievement.

The building was renamed in 1988 for Wilbur J. Cohen, the first professional employee of the Social Security Board who later served as secretary of health, education, and welfare. Its interior features green marble walls with Art Moderne curves and bronze-clad elevators.

The structure symbolizes efficient government administration rooted in historical traditions while oriented toward future progress.

2023, the General Services Administration added the Cohen Building to a list of federal properties identified for accelerated disposition, indicating a fast-tracked sale process.

Living New Deal, an organization documenting New Deal history, is leading efforts to preserve the site. The murals, painted directly on the walls, would be difficult to remove if the building is demolished. Sworn testimony indicates the Trump administration has solicited bids to demolish the Cohen Building and three other federal structures, bypassing standard reviews.

Regulations protecting historic buildings are undergoing weakening. 's public spaces, including renovations to the Kennedy Center and plans for new architectural features. Critics historically labeled New Deal art as propaganda, with objections from both conservative and liberal perspectives for its perceived alignment with Soviet styles or for glossing over economic realities.

Modernist figures like Clement Greenberg dismissed it as kitsch. Despite this, the Cohen Building's artworks represent high-quality examples from the era's relief programs.